The fake promises of GE crops

There's been a lot of 'noise' recently about how genetically engineered (GE) crops can help "feed the world", and that they can help agriculture in a climate-affected world. But are these promises real or just hype?

If we look at recent studies, they actually highlight the failures of GE technology to deliver on its promises, and the mounting evidence that agricultural productivity is better served by a focus on ecological agriculture [1]. For instance, the latest study (Heinemann et al. 2013) by the University of Canterbury, New Zealand found that despite the claims that GE might be needed to feed the world, we found no yield benefit when the United States was compared to West Europe, other economically developed countries of the same latitude which do not grow GE crops. This is not altogether surprising as there simply are no GE crops designed to increase yield. They do not exist.

The majority of currently existing GE crops (for example Monsanto's "Roundup Ready" GE soya) are herbicide tolerant, which allow herbicides to be sprayed liberally, killing all plants apart from the GE crop. This is not good for biodiversity because it affects animals such as birds [2] and insects [3] by reducing the abundance of plants that they feed on. This might also include bees, adding pressure to already declining populations. The remainder of GE crops are mostly insect resistant and produce their own pesticide (for example GE Bt corn). These are also not good for biodiversity as these GE crops can kill other insects such as butterflies [4]. Problems of insect resistance [5] and other, secondary [6] insect pests, mean that farmers have to continue spraying pesticides with GE Bt crops. With GE crops, farmers are still on the pesticide treadmill.

The reality is that the promised "beneficial" GE crops are stuck at the development stage in the lab. The reason is that scientists are finding that the traits we need to help crops to cope with climate change (e.g. heat tolerance) or increased nutrition (e.g. enhanced vitamins) are actually quite complex and controlled by several genes. Genetic engineering is a crude technology and is no match the tightly controlled network regulating gene expression in cells. For example, 'Golden' rice, a GE rice variety, is still in development after 20 years [7], largely because of the complexity of the genetic engineering [8].

Meanwhile, advances in conventional breeding mean that several of the crops promised by genetic engineering are already in farmer's fields. For example, both flood and drought tolerant rice [9] are already in farmer's fields and drought resistant maize [10] is available in many parts of Africa where it's needed. Nutrient enhanced crops also exist already – without using genetic engineering [11] but a more sustainable solution is to improve access to a healthy and diverse diet.

It's clear that GE crops are not capable of producing the crops that farmers and consumers need, whilst the quiet revolution in conventional breeding techniques is already producing these crops [12].

GE crops are stuck with two simple traits: herbicide tolerance and insect resistance. These do not help to "feed the world", but pose threats to human and animal health, as well as biodiversity.

So the answer to the original question is no. GE crops are not needed to feed the world but are just hype.

Janet Cotter is a Senior Scientist at the Greenpeace International Science Unit.

NOTES:

[1] Heinemann, JA et al. 2013. Sustainability and innovation in staple crop production in the US Midwest, International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability: DOI:10.1080/14735903.2013.806408;

Dr. Thierry Vrain, formerly Head of Biotechnology @ Agriculture Canada's Summerland Research Station, once a supporter of GMO is now sharing his u...

Dr. Thierry Vrain, formerly Head of Biotechnology @ Agriculture Canada's Summerland Research Station, once a supporter of GMO is now sharing his understanding of why the science behind genetic engineering is flawed.

It's high time that Peter Mansbridge interviews Dr Thierry Vrain on the National regarding the contents of his recent Ted talk entitled The Gene Revolution, The Future of Agriculture:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQkQXyiynYs

Canadians need to be getting more information from our public broadcaster regarding problems with GMO in agriculture.

Please help us!!!
Our UK Government is acting as salesmen for Monsanto, Syngenta and Bayer after an effective secret lobbying meeting last summe...

Please help us!!!
Our UK Government is acting as salesmen for Monsanto, Syngenta and Bayer after an effective secret lobbying meeting last summer and have started to issue out mistruths to its public. They seemingly refuse to speak to anyone with an opposing view or observe scientific studies and reports that show their views as unrealistic and incorrect.
We drastically need help here to educate our public as to the truth of GMO and how it may seriously affect their health. I donate money to you every month and kindly ask that you help us to stop our Govt driving us all to destruction and our land to genetic abuse.
I am a scientist with considerable genetic engineering experience and am horrified by the thought of eating GMO.

as another scientist who works on GMOs, its absurd that you are horrified of eating them. The fact is that you have been eating these products for dec...

as another scientist who works on GMOs, its absurd that you are horrified of eating them. The fact is that you have been eating these products for decades now, and people continue to eat them, while complaining about them. If you don't want them, fine. Buy organic for 3X the price and leave the perfectly healthy, cheaper products for us.

Also, the reason we don't like discussing these things with people is that there are very few people who have the education to even fully understand what we are trying to accomplish. There are no parameters or restrictions on what you can claim, so when GMOs are called poison or cancer causing agents, we are stuck trying to defend the crops that haven't harmed anyone. Not to mention that there has never been any test or experiment that ties unhealthy results to GMO use and production. But that doesn't stop people from questioning what they don't understand

Reading any of the following will enlighted those truly interested as to the real dangers of biotechnology: Seeds﻿ of Destruction by F. William Engdah...

Reading any of the following will enlighted those truly interested as to the real dangers of biotechnology: Seeds﻿ of Destruction by F. William Engdahl, Seeds of Deception by Jeffrey Smith or The World According to Monsanto by Marie-Monique Robin.